Saturday, January 7, 2012

Toughest Challenge of All: TBR Double-Dare

This could be the scariest challenge of all; that must be why C.B.'s  TBR Double Dare isn't really a challenge, or even just a single dare.  The Double Dare is to only read books my possession on January 1st, and the dare lasts until April 1st.  Nothing new from the store or the library for months and months.  Luckily for me, anything currently on my holds list at the library counts as "in my possession."  

Also luckily for me, you can set your own exceptions.  I already used that rule to check out a few books for my son's school report, since his card is disabled until we pay some of the fines. And I'm giving myself another exemption for Cybils Challenge books; I consider them all preloaded on my library hold list and as I read one from each category I order up the next.  I am requiring myself to read any I have in my possession first, but it looks like that only applies to one book.  And I'm sorta cheating on the Scholastic catalogs from school; I'm not ordering any for myself but if the kids pick the ones I've circled and labeled LOOKS LIKE A GREAT BOOK, well, that's just supporting their reading, right? I probably won't get to read them until after April anyway.  

Also, I have a life-time goal of reading a book from each shelf of my library; I think I'll exempt that as well.  I also attempt to read a book from my TBR list each week, but instead of working from the start down and using the library I'll hunt out any books I have in my possession.  If I run out, I'll probably exempt those as well.  Prior lists take priority, after all.  I may not run out until I flunk out of the challenge anyway.  The challenge anticipates that few will make the distance; part of the instructions involves returning to check in when I fall off the wagon.  We'll see how long I last.

(I'm only listing books that I own, not library books, since the latter disappear from the pile whether I read them or not.)
  1. Darth Paper Strikes Back, Tom Angleberger
  2. The Red House, Edith Nesbit (NOOK)
  3. The Terrorists of Irustan, by Louise Marley
  4. Twenty Palaces, Harry Connolly (NOOK)
  5. The Secret Duke, Jo Beverley
  6. A Lady Awakened, Celia Grant
  7. Because of Winn-Dixie, Kate DiCamillo (reread)
  8. Alvin Ho, Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things, Lenore Look
  9. The Maze Runner, James Dashner (technically belongs to my kid)
  10. Christmas Angel, Jo Beverley
  11. Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott
  12. (The Girl Who Could Fly, Victoria Forester). Well, I read the library copy but the cover looked familiar, so I checked my TBR shelves and there it was!
  13. Amulet of Samarkard, Jonathan Stroud (the graphic novel)
  14. The End of Racism, Dinesh D'Souza. I think I've had this book for a decade.
BAM! The library had the newest Elizabeth Moon ready for my NOOK, no waiting, no will power, and I fall short by one week of the challenge.  Oh well, I mostly tamed my library TBR stack.
  1. The Android's Dream, John Scalzi
  2. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, Jacqueline Kelly


3 comments:

Ms. Yingling said...

Since I never buy books, I would run out fairly quickly. With library and ARCs right now, I have about 20 books in the TBR!Good luck on working your way through your pile. It's a good idea. (And Sylvie doesn't exactly like having the sweater put on her, but she doesn't complain that much!)

Unknown said...

Wow, this would be nearly impossible for me -- I admire you for taking it on!

Michelle Cusolito said...

Only a book lover would think of such an idea. Otherwise, there would be nothing to read! My list is VERY long indeed.